Why are antioxidants good for skin?

Antioxidants are popular skin care ingredients and can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition to having health benefits, antioxidants can help protect our skin from free radicals improving the look and feel of our complexions. We’re looking at how antioxidants can help skin look its best, and how you can incorporate them in your everyday life. We’re also providing you with a skin care routine that includes these helpful particles. Find out why antioxidants are good for your skin below.

What Are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are particles that can help neutralize negatively charged particles called free radicals. Free radicals can cause oxidation in our skin. If you’re not sure what oxidation is, it’s a process that you regularly see in your every day life, for example when an apple is cut and it turns brown, oxidation is what causes it to lose it to turn brown. Similarly free radicals can enter your skin and cause it to show signs of aging sooner. Skin can lose elasticity and free radicals can potentially make your skin sag. They can also cause your skin to develop fine lines and wrinkles. Antioxidants can neutralize the negative effects of free radicals, which in turn means they will cause less damage to your skin. Antioxidants are very helpful in keeping your how-do-antioxidants-affect-the-anti-aging-process

Health Benefits

Antioxidants in your diet can help you feel and look healthy. Having a nutritious diet is part of a healthy lifestyle that can benefit skin’s appearance. Antioxidants are found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. If you want to benefit from antioxidants stock up on leafy greens, citrus fruits, tomatoes, apricots, mangoes, avocados, nuts, chia seeds, lean protein and green tea.

Skin-Beautifying Benefits

1. Smoothing

No one wants bumpy or dull looking skin. Worse yet, no one wants premature fine lines or wrinkles. Antioxidants can help smooth the appearance of your skin and improve its overall texture. Retinol or pro-retinol is a powerful antioxidant and derivative of Vitamin A that can help your skin look smoother, firmer and glowing. Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift 2-in-1 Serum + Moisturizer formulated with antioxidant Vitamin E and pro-retinol, as well as rice peptides can intensely hydrate skin giving it a smoother and more luminous appearance.

2. Brightening

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant to have on those days when your skin is looking a little dull. On those days you want skin to look a little brighter use a moisturizer formulated with Vitamin C to give it a boost. clearly-brighter-brightening-smoothing-daily-moisturizer-spf-15 can make your skin look more radiant and protect it from free radicals. It will also help protect your skin from sun damage with SPF 15 which is important to keep your skin looking younger in the long run.

3. Energizing

There are times when you just look tired, sometimes even when you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep. This is particularly noticeable in your eye area and can result in people asking “are you tired?” To avoid looking fatigued, particularly in your eye area, try Garnier SkinActive Miracle Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel-Cream formulated with antioxidant essential oil, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark circles which can make your eyes look more awake.

This product is perfect to make you look bright and bushy-tailed even when you are not feeling that way.

4. Fading Appearance Of Dark Spots

Dark spots are when your skin produces excess melanin due to sun exposure. They can make your skin look uneven and as we age we tend to develop more of them due to cumulative sun exposure. Antioxidants can help fade the appearance of dark spots with continued use over time. Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Overnight Leave-On Peel formulated with Glycolic Alpha Hydroxyl Acid (AHA) and antioxidant Vitamin C can help even skin tone and brighten the appearance of dark spots while you sleep.

Ways To Use Antioxidants In Skin Care Products

1. Cleansing

Cleansers don’t remain on our skin long so you will not get the full benefits antioxidants can provide from using a cleanser alone. That said, using a cleanser formulated with antioxidants is great starting place for good skin care habits. Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Balancing Gel Exfoliator can lift excess oil from your T-zone and is formulated with antioxidant grapefruit and pomegranate extracts to help soften and cleanse skin. Use this cleanser twice a day to remove excess oil and to keep your skin shine-free.

2. Exfoliate

Cleansing alone doesn’t lift enough dead skin cells off your skin’s surface. If you don’t exfoliate you might be missing out on the benefits exfoliation can have and be stuck with dull looking skin. If you can use a gentle exfoliating cleanser formulated with antioxidants such as Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Invigorating Daily Scrub your skin will look radiant and fresh. The formula is infused with antioxidant peppermint extract and instantly refreshes skin for an energized complexion. Its gentle jojoba beads help polish pores and refine your skin’s texture.

3. Apply A Mask To Skin

Masks are a great way to ramp up your antioxidant skin care efforts. Look for a mask formulated with retinol, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, or green tea to help refresh, brighten or energize your skin. Try to use a mask at least once a week and let it rest and soak into your skin as directed. Use lukewarm water to remove the mask and then apply a moisturizer to lock in the hydrating benefits.

4. Brightening Dark Spots

As previously mentioned, dark spots can be an eyesore on your skin but with the right products you can fade their appearance giving skin a luminous, even-toned look. A dark spot corrector such a Garnier SkinActive’s Clearly Brighter Brightening Dark Spot Corrector can help minimize the look of dark spots on your skin. It is formulated with glycolic alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) and Vitamin C. By using this product you will see the appearance of dark spots minimized over time.

5. Overnight Masks

Overnight masks or sleeping creams are a great way to refresh your skin. You can apply Garnier SkinActive’s Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream before you go to bed to wake up with a luminous complexion. While you are sleeping the formula infused with antioxidant lavender essential oil, hyaluronic and hydroxy acids will work to revitalize and smooth the appearance of your skin.

Antioxidant Everyday Skin Care Routine

Follow this super simple skin care routine to ensure you reap the skin care benefits of antioxidants every day.

Morning and Evening: Cleanse

Your skin should be cleansed twice daily to remove excess oil and dead skin cells from skin’s surface. If you’re the type of person that likes to skimp on cleansing or doesn’t have enough time, use a cleansing towelette formulated with antioxidants to make sure you’re always getting the best clean. Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes formula is infused with refreshing antioxidant grape water to instantly revitalize your skin.

Morning: SPF Moisturizer

SPF is crucial to keep your skin looking youthful and it’s even better when you use a 3-ways-to-use-moisturizer-with-antioxidants that is formulated with SPF and antioxidants. Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Anti-Sun Damage Daily Moisturizer SPF30 is infused with an antioxidant complex Vitamin C and E and gently exfoliating lipo-hydroxyl acid (LHA). This moisturizer is perfect if you have fair skin and need a higher SPF or already have visible signs of sun damage on your skin in the form of dark spots. Is has a non-greasy texture and can help reduce the look of visible sun-damage revealing younger-looking and brighter skin over time.

Evening: Antioxidant Moisturizer

At night you do not need to protect your skin from the sun so look for a product that is formulated with antioxidants and can help restore skin overnight. If your skin is on the drier side look for a nourishing cream that can give your skin suppleness. If your skin is on the oilier side use a mattifying product that can keep oiliness at bay. Look for formulas with Vitamin C, E, wild berry, retinol and green tea. Garnier SkinActive Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream formulated with lavender essential oil, hyaluronic and hydroxy acids can renew, firm and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles on your skin while you are sleeping.